Moonlight on The CW - Discussion for Ep 1: NSTAV

[allegrita]

Episode Title: "No Such Thing as Vampires"
Current air date: June 3, 2010
Guardian Angel's episode 1 discussion thread with screencaps

The basics (from tvguide.com):
Synopsis: Mick probes the vampire-like murder of a college student and reconnects with a woman (Sophia Myles) from his past, who is now an investigative reporter. It's soon learned that the victim was taking an ancient mythologies class taught by a man who claims he's a vampire.
Original Air Date: Sep 28, 2007
Guest Cast
Brian White: Lt. Carl Davis
Rudolf Martin: Christian Ellis
Dean O'Gorman: Daniel
Gigi Rice: Martha
Jacob Vargas: Guillermo
Kevin Weisman: Steve Balfour

I'd seen the ads in the late summer of 2007. Yeah, yeah, *yawn* another vampire private eye. Been there (Forever Knight), done that (Angel). The guy's cute, but so what? Hollywood's full of cute guys. Whatever. If I don't have anything better to do, I'll watch, I guess. After all, I already watch Numb3rs... that's what went through my mind.

So hubby and I watched the first episode. The interview didn't thrill me--I thought it was a kinda cheesy way to give us a bunch of basic facts about the way their vampires differ from others. But the twists on the traditional vampire mythology were cool... these vamps can go out in the sun? Stakes don't kill them?

Then the guy was sleeping naked in a freezer. Wow. And he shot up blood?! Hmm...

And then he saw the girl in the fountain. No, not the dead girl. The live girl--barefoot, wearing jeans and a white-striped shirt and that bad-goat-cream-colored jacket. He had this... look on his face...

And then he did a little B&E, and the girl was there again. She looked nervous, something went "whoosh" in the dark, and suddenly she picked up a vase and broke it over the guy's head. And he said, "Ouch."

I was hooked.

The blonde reporter was spunky, the cameraman was believable, the M.E. was cool, the rich vampire best friend was-- and he took that beautiful girl's wrist and just... crunch... and she made a face like she was... well, you know...

There was this amazing dialogue... some weird new term--did he call them "freshies"?!? Oh my gosh! The homes that those vamps lived in were... well, spectacular is the word that comes to mind... there were aerial shots of LA landscapes that made my city look like somewhere magical and wonderful... and a story that really caught my attention.

And after all the excitement was over, the vampire guy was watching the reporter sleeping off the drug she'd been given, and he had such tenderness in his eyes. And when she woke up, all she wanted was reassurance. So he let her hug him... and it was like watching a glacier melt. He was so stiff... and slowly, slowly, he tightened his arms around her, put his head down, and touched his nose to her shoulder. It was like she was a stove, warming him... bringing him to life. And he had this heartbreaking voiceover: "Sixty years is a long time to deny yourself the touch of another. But you do it because you just can't bear the thought of seeing yourself as a monster in someone else's eyes."

I was seriously intrigued by this show.

Links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057229/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Such_Thing_as_Vampires
http://www.tvguide.com/episode-recaps/M ... -7091.aspx

[aolver]

What a wonderful description of your first Moonlight experience Alle. Sadly, I don't even remember that night, even though I was watching. Happy to be able to relive it though the vivid memories of others. Thank you.

[allegrita]

That's OK--you can make it a new "first time" tonight, and come onto this thread and give us your new "first impressions."

[GuardianAngel]

I remember that night perfectly. I had seen the trailers and a friend asked me to watch it so she'd have someone to discuss it with. I was house/dog sitting that night and was afraid I might miss it. But, alas, I didn't. I was half way through it and thought about flaking out on my friend. It was my love of her more than interest in the show that had me watching 'til the end. I thought it was a bit cheesy. It was the end that got me sticking around. It was touching; I fell in love with Mick St. John during that hug.

[cassysj]

I watched Moonlight on the recommendation of my sister who has never seen an episode. She reads the Fall Preview TV Guide and tells me you'll like X Y or Z. I was a big fan of Buffy and Angel and that is what led me to watching. Ironically I saw Beauty and the Beast on dvd just a few months before Moonlight began and fell in love with that show and was happy to see Ron Koslow's involvement.

I loved the character of Vincent and how he always tried to keep the monster at bay like Mick.

The beginning of the series I was a Mick chick all the way. I didn't even really notice Josef until Sleeping Beauty. (Hard as that is to believe) After Sleeping Beauty I have trouble watching Fever because it is missing a certain someone.

I am really looking forward to tonight. I've only seen the Moonlight episodes in order about three times and that is including the original airing. I had started nine weeks ago watching one a week for myself but now I'm just going back to the beginning.

[darkstarrising]

I had seen the trailers as well, but missed the Friday premiere. Thankfully, they replayed it the next night.

I loved it. The actors appealed, there were a couple of new twists on vampire lore. Loved having a snarky, billionaire mogul as a hedonistic vamp. But it was the soulfulness of the reluctant PI vamp, the one who spent a lifetime protecting Beth, then falling in love with her. It was their tragic love story was probably the hook that kept me coming back.

I'd never seen Forever Knight or Angel, but vamps have been something I've loved since I was a kid.

I've spent the day watching the SyFy marathon (we're up to 12:04) and it's amazing that it's still magical. I may, however, OD on the velvet voice

One note: When you watch NSTAV tonight, just before Beth hugs Mick near the end, they stand apart, facing each other. Just before Beth moves toward Mick, Alex gives Sophia a very slight nod, barely perceptible, but that was when she moved toward him.

Enjoy ladies, I certainly am.

[PNWgal]

I remember summer of 2007 and catching commercials for Moonlight and saying to Mr. PNW, "Hey, check it out - new vampire show on CBS." Both of us are huge vampire/paranormal fans - never missed an episode of Buffy or Angel,

I remember that night clearly - I was out of town with my mother, and I caught about five minutes about halfway through. Mom didn't really want to watch it, so I said, "No problem - I'm saving it. I'll watch it when I get home."

So Mr. PNW and I dutifully sat down on Saturday when I got home and watched NSTaV. After it was over, we looked at each other and went "WTF was THAT??" The cheesy driving sequences, the doing-away with the myths (No holy water? Stakes only paralyze? Vampires sleep in FREEZERS?? Vampires can be in the SUN?????), the sometimes spotty dialogue made me think I was going to just give it up. But...I always give new shows three chances to impress me. Besides, the guy playing the vampire was cute, I remembered the blond reporter from Underworld, and I loved the VO, so I thought I'd give it a chance.

Moonlight caught me by the throat in Ep. 2, but we'll get to that next week.

[redwinter101]

I posted this in the "ML on the CW" thread, but as we're sharing stories about watching NSTAV, I'll post it here.

THIS is why I watched:

UK promo - Moonlight on Living TV

Still makes me swoon - the look, the angles, and The Voice. Oh my.

Red

[darkstarrising]

The voice, the look .....what I just saw this time around is that when the logo for Living is superimposed on the screen, you can still see Mick's eyes looking through.....cool, but ironic, considering.

[librarian_7]

So, I'm watching Vampire Diaries, and honestly, I think it's a huge mistake to show it right before ML...because everyone should be saying, very soon, "Wow. This Moonlight show is SO much better than VampDiaries."

Lucky

[redwinter101]

I've never seen it, Lucky - but I'm more than happy to take your word for it.

Red

[darkstarrising]

Lucky's right....Vampire Diaries is aimed at a 'younger' set....whoever made the banner (forgive me, I forget who) that says "Moonlight, not your daughter's vampire" is sooooo right.

[redwinter101]

Everybody ready???

[librarian_7]

Annnnnddddd....here we go, again.

There's just something so great about seeing it on a network.

Lucky

[redwinter101]

Every time I watch this episode I'm reminded that Mick was much snarkier (yes, the interview, but also later scenes) than in many of the later eps.